Transverse joint installing apparatus



Sept. 7, 1968 R. A. HANSON 3,401,610

TRANSVERSE JOINT INSTALLING APPARATUS Filed March 22, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. RAYMOND H. HRMYO/V z/zza ,a/Z M p 1968 R. A. HANSON 3,401,610

TRANSVERSE JOINT INSTALLING APPARATUS Filed March 22, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll 7 Y l INVENTOR. /1// V MON 0 H. H/i/VfO/V p 7, 1968 R. A. HANSON 3,401,610

TRANSVERSE JOINT INSTALLING APPARATUS Filed March 22, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,401,610 TRANSVERSE JOINT INSTALLING APPARATUS Raymond A. Hanson, R. A. Hanson Company, Palouse, Wash. 99161 Filed Mar. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 625,081 9 Claims. (CI. 94-39) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure is concerned with the placement of joints across a concrete slab by an apparatus that feeds the joint material along a transverse ledge during return movement of the device across the slab and which then draws the material from the ledge for placement in the concrete during subsequent movement across the concrete, the joint being placed by a guiding tubular member. It includes a mechanical clamp for temporarily anchoring the free end of the joint material when placement is initiated and a severing device for terminating the placed joint at the completion of the transversal of the concrete slab. In addition, the tubular member that guides the joint material into place in the slab is oscillated to facilitate its plowing action through the concrete and to assist in riding over longitudinal joint strips.

Summary of the invention The basic concept involved herein is concerned with the reduction of tension on a flexible concrete joint strip by feeding the strip from a supply reel and placing it along a stationary ledge. The relaxed strip is then fed from the ledge during return of the apparatus, no material being pulled from the reel during actual placement of the joint in the concrete. An auxiliary clamping device is used to temporarily anchor the joint so that it can be pulled from the ledge, and a severing device, or manual severing, is used to free the joint at the completion of its placement in the slab.

A first object of the invention is to relieve the normal tensile forces to which flexible joint material is subjected when pulled directly from a supporting reel for placement in concrete.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transverse slab placement device that can be readily automated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for placing a flexible joint in concrete that requires no manual effort except for initial feeding of joint material when a new supply is utilized.

These and further objects will be evident from a study of the following disclosure, which generally describes the essential features of the mechanism. Many modifications can be made in the specific structural devices and elements illustrated without deviating from the essential features discussed herein. Therefore, it is to be understood that the embodiment illustrated, while a preferred general description of the structure, is not to specifically limit the scope of the claims set out herein.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the joint placement apparatus in its lowered position at the initiation of joint placement;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the lower portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3 showing installation of a joint;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 55 in FIG. 3, showing the essential features of the clamping device;

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FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 taken with the movable carriage at the upper end of the framework;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 4 illustrating the directional clamp mechanism; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view taken along line 88 in FIG. 6, showing the essential features of the joint severing device.

Description 0 preferred embodiment The main features of the transverse joint installing apparatus according to this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, but could obviously be constructed and mounted in different physical forms without changing the basic relationship with which this disclosure is concerned.

The joint installing apparatus is mounted on a rigid supporting framework 10 (FIG. 1) positioned above a freshly formed concrete slab 11. The slab 11 is shown as a partial section of a canal, defined by an upper edge 12 and a lower edge 13 formed by slipforms moving along in conjunction with a concrete pouring apparatus immediately forward of the instant structure. Stationary forms for slab 11 are also widely used. It is to be understood that the apparatus can be used across horizontal slabs such as in a highway, in which case the sloped section of the framework would be eliminated and the framework 10 would simply be a horizontal structure spanning the slab.

The framework 10 has a first lower end 14 and a second upper end 15. Each end 14, 15 is provided an endless track mechanism 16 carried by parallel arms 17 pivotally jointed between the respective end of framework 10 and the track mechanism 16 to permit elevational adjustment of framework 10 relative to the ground and slab 13. Grade monitoring devices 19 at the upper and lower ends of framework 10 automatically control the elevation of framework 10 above slab 11.

Power for the various devices carried on framework 10 is supplied by an engine 18 adjacent the end 14 on framework 10. The engine 18, using known controlled devices, provides motive power to the track mechanism 16, which are independently driven by hydraulic motors. It also provides power for a winch 20 and for various hydraulic cylinders which will be described below.

A transversely movable carriage 21 (FIG. 24) is mounted on framework 10 for translational movement across the width of framework 10 between terminal positions adjacent its respective ends 14 and 15. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the initial position of carriage 21 is located adjacent the lower end 14 of framework 10. It is movable in a first direction across slab 11 from the end 14 to the end 15, and is reversible for movement oppositely during return to the lower end 14.

The essential carriage structure is shown in the drawings. This includes a roller frame 22 supported by four sets of rollers which engage inwardly facing tracks 23 on the framework 10. Each set of rollers includes a lower roller 24, an opposed upper roller 25 and a horizontal roller 26. The coaction of the rollers 24, 25 and 26 at both sides of the roller frame 22 positions the carriage 21 relative to framework 10, and permits the translational motion just described.

The carriage 21 also comprises a vertically adjustable frame 27 supported on the roller frame 22 in any desired manner which permits elevational adjustment of the frame 27 relative to the frame 22. As shown, this might be a set of parallel arms 28 at opposite sides of carriage 21 respectively pivoted to the frames 22 and 27. The elevational position of frame 27 relative to frame 22 is monitored by a sensor 29 on frame 22 which controls a hydraulic cylinder assembly 30 at each side of the carriage 21, the body of the cylinder being supported by an upwardly extending cylinder bracket 31 on the roller frame 3 22. The outer end of the cylinder rod is pivotally connected at 32 to a bracket fixed to the vertically adjustable frame 27. As can be seen in FIG. 4, contraction of the cylinder assembly 30 will raise frame 27 and expansion of cylinder assembly will lower it relative to the frame 22 and also relative to the framework 10.

The carriage 21 is moved relative to framework by a cable 33 extending from winch to an idler pulley 34 at the upper end 15 of framework 10. An arm 35 on the roller frame 22 of carriage 21 is attached to the lower flight of cable 33 and serves to permit force from cable 33 to carriage 21 to move carriage 21 in either direction of motion.

The present device can be used in the placement of any desired type of joint. A typical joint cross section is shown in FIG. 8, utilizing a cruciform configuration to provide a vertical weakening plane in the concrete and a horizontal waterstop between adjacent concrete sections. Such joint material, commonly fabricated from rubber compounds or flexible resins, is available in long continuous strip supplied on a reel 36. The reel 36 is illustrated herein mounted for rotation on supporting brackets 37 adjacent the upper end 15 of the framework 10. The continuous strip of joint material 38 is fed from reel 36 for deposit by the joint installing apparatus.

Depending downwardly from the carriage 21 is a tubular member or snorkel 40 that is axially hollow and which has an interior cross sectional configuration complementary to the cross sectional configuration of the joint material 38. Again, while this is illustrated in the shape of a cruciform configuration, it might be any other desired configuration. The tubular member 40 includes an inlet 41 and an outlet 42, the inlet 41 facing forwardly and the outlet 42 facing rearwardly during movement of carriage 21 in its first direction of movement from end 14 to end 15 across the framework 10. The portion of the member 40 adjacent to the outlet 42 is substantially horizontal, and the inlet 41 is preferably above the outlet 42 by a distance such that inlet 41 will always extend above the upper surface of the concrete slab 11 (FIG. 4). The purpose of member 40 is to provide a guided path for the joint material 48 during insertion below the surface of the slab 11.

Immediately rearward of the outlet 42 of the member 40 is a first screed having rearwardly converging lower surfaces to urge the displaced concrete spread by the tubular member 40 back across the groove formed in the concrete. A second finishing screed 44 is aligned rearwardly of the first screed 43. Both screeds 43 and 44 can be mounted for adjustment relative to carriage 21 by conventional linkages and can optically be provided with vibrators or other devices to impart compacting and smoothing movement to them.

The basic purpose of the instant device is to facilitate the placement of joint material 38 through the tubular member 40 for proper insertion across slab 11. The joint material 38 poses difficulties due to flexibility and the fact that it commonly stretches and sometimes fractures when tension is applied to it. To relieve undue tension in the joint 38, there is provided a joint supporting member or ledge 46 fixed to framework 10 and extending continuously across the width of the framework between its ends 14 and 15. The ledge 46 is shown in the form of an upwardly facing channel. The joint material 38 fed from reel 36 is directed onto the horizontal ledge 46 adjacent the end 15 of framework 10. A guide arm 47 extends from carriage 21 upwardly and over the ledge 46. It is fixed to the roller frame 22. It includes a loop 48 upwardly adjacent to the ledge 46 and an intermediate loop 50, both loops being utilized as guiding members to receive and direct joint material 38 from a position along ledge 46 to the inlet 41 of the tubular member 40.

Also mounted on the adjustable frame'27 is a directional clamping member 51 positioned outwardly adjacent to the inlet 41 of tubular member 40 in the path of the joint material 38. The clamp 51 includes two eccentric cams 52 (FIG. 7) pivoted to a supporting bracket. The joint material 38 must pass between the cams 52 prior to entry at the inlet 41. The cams 52 freely permit movement of the joint material in a direction toward inlet 41 in the direction of arrow 39 in FIG. 7, but frictionally engage and grip the joint material 38 when the force applied to it would tend to pull the joint material 38 from the inlet 41.

At the lower end 14 of framework 10 is a clamp mechanism 53 (FIGS. 3, 5) including a movable jaw 54 and stationary jaw 54. Jaw 54 is controlled by hydraulic cylinder assembly 56. A guide pan 57 is mounted adjacent to the jaws 54, to aid in positioning joint material protruding from the outlet 42 of tubular member 40 so as to be properly gripped by the jaws 54, 55.

At the top of framework 10 adjacent its end 15 is a severing device 58 powered by a cylinder (FIGS. 6, 8). The severing device includes a movable blade 59 and abutment 59a positioned so as to be rearward along the joint material 38 when the carriage 21 is at its terminal position adjacent the upper end 15 of framework 10. Operation of cylinder 60 selectively cuts the joint material 38 of the tubular member 40 and prepares the carriage 21 for its return movement after being freed from the joint material in the concrete.

The tubular member 40 acts as its own plow to cut a groove in the concrete slab 11 while placing the joint material 38. To facilitate its movement through the concrete and particularly to assist in passing over longitudinal joint members which would normally be placed in the slab 11 prior to completion of the transverse joint, the tubular member 40 is pivotally carried on a longitudinal bearing shaft 61. The member 40 is supported below shaft 61 by rigid arms 62, 63 fixed to the shaft 61 and to tubular member 40. A rotating motor 64 on the frame 22 serves to oscillate the arms 62, 63 and tubular member 40 about the axis of shaft 61 through a rotating disc 65 and a pitman 66 pivoted eccentrically to the disc 65. The amount of movement imparted to the tubular member 40 is of the magnitude of one half to three quarters of an inch in a back and forth movement.

In operation, the framework 10 is moved along the length of slab 11 by the track mechanisms 16 until it reaches a position at which a transverse joint is desired. Framework 10 is then lowered to a position adjacent to the slab 11 (FIG. 1) by manipulation of the parallel arms 17. At this time, the clamp mechanisms 53 will be elevationally located below the top surface of slab 11 adjacent to it. It will have previously gripped the protruding portion of the joint material 38 that extends from the outlet 42 of the tubular member 40. The vertically adjustable frame 27 is then lowered to properly position tubular member 40 within the concrete slab 11. The elevation of the vertically adjustable frame and the independently movable screeds is preferably monitored by sensing devices riding along the surface of slab 11 as described more specifically in my co-pending application Ser. No. 553,416.

The winch 20 then is operated to move the carriage 21 from its initial position adjacent the lower end 14 of framework 10 to its terminal position adjacent the upper end 15. After initial movement of carriage 21, sufiicient joint material 38 will be imbedded in the concrete to permit release of the clamp mechanism 53. The carriage '21 will follow the contour of framework 10, which is complementary to the contour of slab 11, and is capable of placing joint material across intersectioning concrete planes as shown in FIGURE 1. During such movement the tubular member 40 is preferably oscillated by the motor 64, which lessens the sliding resistance encountered otherwise when passing over or across a longitudinal joint member. The groove formed by the member 40 will be closed by the screed 43 and smoothed by the screed 44,

both of which may be vibrated if desired.

At the upper end of the slab 11, the carriage 21 preferably runs out beyond the concrete surface. During the movement to the left as seen in FIGURE 1, the directional clamp device 51 permits free passage of the joint material 38, which has previously been placed along the length of the ledge 46. Since the joint material 38 on ledge 46 is stationary and is not being pulled from a reel, stretching of the material is virtually eliminated, and the possibility of pulling material with such force as to break it is greatly diminished.

After carriage 21 has completed its movement to the upper end of the framework 10 the adjustable frame 27 is located with the tubular member 40 beyond the severing device 58 which is then operated to cut the joint material 38 protruding from the outlet 42 of the tubular member 40. The joint material that extends from the slab 11 can then be manually placed across the top end of the slab 11 to complete the joint operation.

When the carriage 21 is free of the placed joint, framework 10 can begin movement to its next position. It is raised by operation of parallel arms 17 to lift frame 27 clear of slab 11. The framework 10 is then free to pass along the slab 11. During such movement, winch 20 is reversed to draw carriage 21 back to its initial position. During this movement, joint material 38 will be played out from the reel 36 and will be drawn along ledge 46 by the loop 48 on the guide arm 47. The directional clamp 51 will, during such downward movement, prevent relative movement of the joint material 38 from the tubular member 40, thereby placing the joint material 38 in position along ledge 46 in preparation for placement of the subsequent joint. After carriage 21 reaches its initional position at the right hand end of the framework 10 (FIG. 1) the protruding portion of the joint material 38 will be guided by the pan 57 between the jaws 54 and 55 of the clamp mechanism 53. It is then gripped by the jaws 54, 55 and the apparatus is then run through the same cycle during placement of the next joint.

This structure has the advantage of lessening the resistance normally encountered in feeding flexible joint material into concrete since little pulling of the joint material is necessary during placement of it in the concrete. In addition, the mounting of the tubular member 40 assists in plowing a proper groove for the joint material and in passing longitudinal joints. The entire device can be easily automated, being triggered by contact with stakes (not shown) mounted along the length of the slab 11. Each stake would initiate a cycle, the steps of which would proceed automatically in the sequence described.

While the structure illustrated in the drawings is adequate for an understanding of the relationship between the various devices used herein, it is to be understood that the general features shown are merely illustrative and that many specific modifications might be made without deviating from the basic concepts involved. For this reason, only the following claims are intended to be definitions of the inventive concepts embodied in this structure.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus for transverse placement of a strip of joint material across a concrete slab;

a supporting [framework positioned above the slab having first .and second transverse ends spanning the width of the slab;

a movable carriage carried on said framework for translational movement between the first and second ends thereof;

movement of said carriage from the first end to the second end of said framework being in a first transverse direction and return movement in the opposite direction being in a second transverse direction;

an axially tubular element supported by and depending downwardly from said carriage having an inlet facing forwardly and an outlet facing rearwardly during movement of said carriage in said first direction;

a joint supporting member mounted on said framework extending continuously across the width thereof;

joint material supply means carried on said framework to feed out a continuous strip of joint material onto said joint supporting member at a location adjacent said second end of said framework; and

means on said carriage to direct joint material from the joint supporting member to the inlet of the tubular device during motion of said carriage in said first direction and to draw joint material along the length of said joint supporting member during motion of said carriage in said second direction.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

clamping means on said framework at the first end thereof to releasably grip the joint material protruding from the outlet of said tubular element.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprissevering means on said framework to cut joint material protruding from the outlet of said tubular element when the carriage is positioned adjacent the second end of said framework.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said last named means comprises:

directional clamping means on said carriage outwardly adjacent to the inlet of said tubular element in the path of joint material directed to said inlet to permit free passage of joint material to said inlet and prevent exit of joint material from said inlet.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said joint supporting member comprises:

a ledge fixed to said framework;

said last named means comprising:

a rigid guide arm on said carriage having a joint material receiving element positioned upwardly adjacent to said ledge.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said joint supporting member comprises:

a ledge fixed to said framework;

said last named means comprising:

a rigid guide arm on said carriage having a joint material receiving element positioned upwardly adjacent to said ledge;

and directional clamping means on said carriage in the path of joint material along the arm outward of the inlet of said tubular member to permit free passage of joint material to said inlet and prevent exit of joint material from said inlet.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprisclamping means on said framework at the first end thereof to releasably grip the joint material protruding from the outlet of said tubular element.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 further compris mg:

severing means on said framework to cut joint material protruding from the outlet of said tubular element when the carriage is positioned adjacent the second end of said framework.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular element is pivotally carried on said carriage for motion about an axis displaced from the tubular member and aligned parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage across the framework;

and power means on said carriage operatively connected to said tubular member to oscillate said tubular mem. ber about said axis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,274,906 9/ 1966 Worson et a1 94-39 3,343,470 9/ 1967 Atkinson 94-51 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner. 

